This invention relates to dental instrumentation, and more particularly to an applicator for use in applying a dental prosthetic device to a tooth.
For several years, dental prosthetic devices have been available to cover the front surface of a patient's tooth. More specifically, porcelain lamination veneers are often applied to the specially prepared surface of a tooth in order to repair and correct the appearance thereof. In order to apply such a veneer, the tooth is prepared by removing a portion of its front surface in a manner which is well-known to dentists and dental assistants. Then, an impression is made of the prepared tooth surface, and a porcelain laminated veneer is manufactured by a laboratory from the impression. The veneer is created with a surface that corresponds to the prepared surface of the tooth. Often, several teeth of the patient are prepared in this manner.
The laboratory delivers to the dentist one or more series of laminated veneers which are typically the size and shape of a small fingernail. The dentist then carries out a process of fitting and adjusting the veneer to the tooth.
As currently delivered by laboratories, these veneers have to be matched by the dentist to the particular tooth, and adhesives have to be applied to either the surface of the tooth or to the surface of the veneer, or to both, and appropriate adjustments made. Such adjustments require not only mechanical adjustment such as trimming the veneer, but also staining of the adhesive, or selecting an adhesive of the appropriate stain, so that the veneer applied to the tooth has the correct appearance.
Each of these stages requires manipulation of the veneer, during which it is presently the practice for the dentist to handle the veneer with his fingers.
The small size and delicacy of the veneer make this at best an awkward operation. Because of the dimensions of the prosthetic device involved, even a skilled dentist runs some risk of damaging the veneer, and there is the possibility of contamination of the adhesive.
Moreover, to complicate things, when curing the adhesive, it is necessary to illuminate the veneer with a high intensity light, for example, using a halogen lamp. This at times often causes undesirable shrinkage of the adhesive, which can create microcavities between the tooth and the veneer, greatly increasing the risk of failure of the procedure.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an applicator for use in applying dental prosthetic devices to a tooth which overcomes the above-discussed disadvantages.